Temporary binder.



L. M. MORDEN & L. R. HITCHCOCK.

TEMPORARY BINDER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 15, 1909.

9'?3,452 Patented oct. 18,1910.

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LUCENA lVI. MORDEN, OIF WATERBURY, AND LUCIEN R, HITCHCOCK, OF WATERTOWN, CONNECTICUT; SAID HITCHCOCK ASSIGNOR TO SAID MORDEN.

TEMPORARY BINDER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, LUCENA M. MCRDEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Vaterbury, inthe county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, and LUCrEN R. HITCHCOCK, a citizen of the United States, residing at atertown, in the county of Litchfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Temporary Binders, of which the following is a specification.

The present improvement relates to temporary binders, sometimes designated as loose-leaf binders, the object of the invention being to provide a simple and inexpensive device of this character madeup of mating prongs formed in such a manner that a great saving of stock is obtained, the prongs in one form of the device being all integral with the base plate, while in another form thereof the prongs alongV one side of the binder are integral with the carrying strip or member for the prongs.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification, Figure l is a plan oi top view illustrating this improved temporary binder in the course of manufacture, showing at the left hand the blank as it is cut out, midway of said figure an intermediate step in the formation of a pair of prongs, and at the right hand thereof a pair of prongs completely formed; Fig. 2 is a side view partly broken away, illustrating that form of the device in which the prongs along one side are integral with the base or carrying strip; Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view thereof taken in line SH3, F ig. 2, with the prongs closed; Fig. 4 is a similar view with the prongs open; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the form of prongs shown in Fig. 8; Fig. 6 is a detail view of one set of prongs; and Fig. '7 is an underside or bottom view of the binder shown in Fig. 2, this view illustrating more nearly the proportion of the base strip carrying each set of prongs.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the different figures of the drawings.

One of the objects of the present improvement is to provide a temporary binder which will enable all of the prongs to be integral with the base member or strip without a great waste of stock.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 15, 1909.

Patented Oct. 18, 1910. Serial No. 483,405.

It is desirable in practice that each binder be made up of at least three pairs of mating prongs, a pair at each end of the binder and an intermediate pair, as this gives the best results. No great ditliculty has been found 1n providing a binder with prongs integral with the base7 but to obtain such prongs without waste of stock has been the diiiculty. Heretofore, in order to form the prongs without waste, it has been necessary to solder them to the base, or base strips when the base is made of a pair of strips, for when made integral with the base this result has only been obtained by a great waste of material. For instance, when the binder is made up of three pair of prongs integral with the base this has been accomplished by blanking out the stock in such a manner that the strips for the arches have projected outwardly from the outer edges of the base from the point a, Fig. l, so that all the metal between the strip marked and the strip of the next prong is waste, thus resulting in a very great loss of material. This loss of material results even though the binder is provided with but two pairs of mating prongs. To save this great loss of material and still form the prongs integral with the base strip is therefore a great advantage,- and is obtained in the present improvement.

The present improvement also enables the arches or prongs to be opened up from the inner edge of the base or strip instead of from the outer edge, thus enabling the formation of a more perfect circle tangent to the back of the book-covers. Moreover, the center to center distance between the arches or prongs can be varied any desired degree and can be economically changed, whereas by blankiug the arches crosswise from flat stock, instead of lengthwise as in the present case, makes it almost impossible to change the centers economically on account of the necessity of cutting out all the stock between the arches, this not only resulting in a waste of material, but requiring a dierent set of tools for every change of centers, whereas in the present improvement one set of adjustable tools can be used for any variation of centers, and there is no waste of stock.

In the embodiment shown this improved binder, while it may consist of any desired number of mating prongs or arches, is shown as comprising three pairs of mating prongs. In one form these prongs are all integral with the base, and in anot-her form the prongs are made up as two sets, the prongs of each set integral with its carrying strip or base. In either form, however, the prongs are formed in substantially the same manner.

In the form shown in Fig. 1, theV prongs are all integral with the base member 2, which is shown as of one piece and of such length as to permit the formation of three pairs of prongs 3, 4 and The pair of prongs 3 is in its embryo state, while the pair of prongs 4 is partly formed, and the pair of prongs 5 is completely formed. Instead of blanking out the base 2 so that the arch-forming strips 6 will project crosswise from the outer edge of the base in the first instance, the base is cut to form lengthwise extending arch-forming strips 7, one at each side of a median line extending from end to end of the base as shown at the left hand end of Fig. 1. Thus the strips when bent into the form of prongs will join with the base adjacent to the middle thereof instead,

of at the outer edges. These strips 7, 7 are then bent over upon the base in the manner shown at 1 in Fig. 1, and then bent upon themselves to form an arch as shown at 4, 'Fig 1, thus forming a pair of arches or mating prongs which may be transversely curved, as shown at 5 in Fig. 1, or formed in any other suitable manner. The opposed ends of the prongs are preferably cut away to form a diagonal slot 10 for the insertion of the loose leaves. The base 2 may be attached to the back of the book in any suitable manner.

As in the present embodiment the archforming strips are cut lengthwise from the base, the metal which is cut out is thus utilized to form the strips so that there is no loss of metal whatsoever, as would be the case were these strips cut crosswise to extend from the outer side edges of the base as hereinbefore explained. This form of binder thus provides a base with several pairs of mating prongs integral with the base which may be used in those cases where it is not necessary that the prongs swing toward and from each other. When, however, it is desired to provide a greater opening between the opposed ends of the prongs, the base may be cut along the median line A, A, Fig. 1, thus forming a base made up of members or bars 12, each carrying a set of prongs 5, shown herein as three in number. In this form of the device, however, some means of connecting one set of prongs with its mating set is necessary, and for this purpose the inner edge of each strip 12 is provided, preferably adjacent to each prong, with a pair of opposed tongues 13 and 14, one extending downwardly and the other upwardly. These tongues are formed from the metal of the base, so that they are integral therewith, the upwardly extending tongues 14 being formed by the inner ends of the prongs themselves. In other words, the metal at the point c, Fig. 1, is cut away slightly to leave a part of the prong where it is bent upon the base projecting beyond the inner edge of the strip 12 so as to form the tongue, while the metal d adjacent to such cut away portion is bent downwardly to form the tongue 13, so that in this form of the device even the small connecting pieces at the ends of the archforming strips 7 are utilized.

The formation of each set of prongs in the manner described thus provides two duplicate sets of prongs which are hinged together by means of a spring wire pivot 15 running above the downwardly extending and preferably curved tongues 13 and under the upwardly extending tongues 14, which spring wire acts, when the two sets of prongs are properly disposed in a casing, as a means to hold either the two sets of prongs together or open, in a manner which will be readily understood.

The two sets of prongs are preferably carried in a channel-shaped casing or back member 16, whereby they will be held in position on the pivot pin, this member being provided with opposed recesses 17 for each pair of prongs to permit such prongs to be opened. Located over this channel-shaped casing is a suitable cap or cover member 18, likewise having opposed recesses for each pair of prongs.

Vhen the prongs are made as swinging prongs, as shown in Figs. 2-7, the meeting ends of each pair may be shapedin any desired manner, as inclined or serrated as shown in Fig. 7.

From the foregoing it will be observed that in either form of the, device the prongs at each side are inegral with the base strip or base and are formed from strips cut lengthwise of such base and bent outwardly and upon themselves to form the opposed arches, and that if it is desired to form the y binder with swinging prongs it is merely necessary to separate the base into a pair of strips along its median line and utilize the metal adjacent to each pair of prongs to form tongues for the reception of a pivot pin or rod. Of course, obviously, separate pivots might be used in some forms of the device instead of a pivot rod, as well as other details changed without departing from the scope of this improvement.

IVe claim as our invention:

1. A temporary binder comprising a base, and a plurality of pairs of prongs each formed of a strip integral with the base and bent thereupon at a point between its longitudinal axis and side edge and where said prongs will utilize substantially the whole of the metal cut from the base, so that there will be no appreciable waste of metal at the sides of the prongs.

2. A temporary binder comlirising a base member' havino' a prong or prongs each comprising a strip cut lengthwise thereof and bent at its attached end outwardly upon the base and upon itself to form an arch.

3. A temporary binder comprising a base member having a plurality of pairs of prongs, each prong bent from and outwardly upon the metal of said base to form an arch, the lower ends of said prongs being in juxtaposition whereby said prong strips may form a complete circle.

l. A temporary bind-er comprising a base member having' an integral prong or prongs each formed from a strip cut lengthwise thereof within the outer edges of said base and bent outwardly upon the base and upon itself to form an arch.

5. A temporary binder comprising a base member having an integral prong or prongs each formed from a strip cut lengthwise thereof and bent outwardly upon the base along a diagonal line and inwardly upon itself to form an arch.

(5. A temporary binder comprising a base member having an integral prong or prongs each formed from a .st-rip cut lengthwise thereof and bent upon itself to form an arch, the juncture of the arch with the base being inside of the outer edge of the base.

7. A temporary binder comprising a base having a plurality of pairs of mating integral prongs, each pair of prongs formed from a pair of strips cut lengthwise of said base within the outer edges thereof and bent outwardly upon such base and away from and toward each other to form the mating prongs.

8. A temporary binder comprising a base formed of a pair of members, each having an integral prong formed from a strip cut lengthwise thereof and bent upon such member and upon itself to form an arch.

9. A temporary binder comprising a base formed of a pair of members, each having a prong integral therewith and formed from a strip cut lengthwise thereof adjacent to its inner edge and bent upon such base outwardly and upon itself to form an arch.

10. A temporary binder comprising abase formed of a pair of members, each having a prong integral therewith and formed from a strip cut lengthwise thereof adjacent to its inner edge and bent upon such base outwardly and upon itself to form an arch, each of said members having tongues.

11. A temporary binder comprising a base formed of a pair of members, each having a prong integral therewith and formed from a strip cut lengthwise thereof and bent outward upon such member and upon itself to form an arch, said arch having a part thereof projecting inwardly beyond the inner edge of said member to form a tongue.

12. A temporary binder comprising a base formed of a pair of members, each having a prong integral therewith and formed from a strip cut lengthwise thereof and bent outward upon such member and upon itself to form an arch, said arch having a part thereof projecting inwardly beyond the inner edge of said member to form a tongue, and an opposed tongue carried by said member.

13. A temporary binder comprising a base formed of a pair of members, each having a plurality of prongs integral therewith and formed from strips cut lengthwise thereof, each prong bent outward upon its member and upon itself to form an arch and each of said members having along its inner edge a pair of opposed tongues, and a. pivot running through such opposed tongues.

14. A temporary binder comprising a base formed of a pair of members, each having a plurality of prongs integral therewith, each formed from a strip cut lengthwise of such member and bent outward upon said member and upon itself to form an arch, said members having opposed tongues, a spring pivot running between said opposed tongues, and a channel-shaped casing member and cap inclosing the pivot and tongues.

15. A temporary binder comprising a base member having a plurality of pairs of prongs each integral with the base and bent outward upon Such base and within the outer edges thereof to form an arch.

16. A temporary binder comprising a base formed of a pair of members each having a plurality of integral prongs each bent upon its member at its inner edge, each of said members also having a plurality of tongues, and a spring pivot running between the opposed tongues of such members and the casing of such members.

LUCENA M. MORDEN. LUCIEN VR. HITCHCOCK.

Witnesses MARTIN F. PnRKrNsoN, 7. D. MAKEPEACE. 

